1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to filler tubes for liquid containers and, more particularly, to filler tubes which are attachable to the fuel flange of an automobile fuel tank and methods of attaching the same.
2. Discussion of Related
Fuel filler tubes are tubular conduits which extend from a vehicle's fuel tank and serve as a mechanism for transporting gasoline from the end of the fuel pump hose to the fuel tank. Typically, these fuel filler tubes are permanently attached to the vehicle's fuel tank during the manufacturing process by first cleaning an annular flange provided on the fuel flange and then brazing a metallic fuel filler tube to the fuel flange. This method of attaching fuel filler tubes, however, is unnecessarily time consuming. Further, this method adds to the manufacturing costs of the vehicle.
Recently, there has been an attempt to move away from the standard brazed fuel filler tube assemblies and toward attachable filler tube assemblies which are mechanically coupled to the fuel tank. One disadvantage many of these mechanically attachable fuel filler tube assemblies have is that they require an excessive number of parts to facilitate the connection between the fuel tank and the fuel filler tube. A large number of parts necessarily result in cost disadvantages both in the manufacture and assembly of the fuel filler tubes.